Tuesday, May 9
LOUISVILLE, KY
6:00 PM
University of Louisville
vs
VANDERBILT
Senior Logan Taylor and the Cardinals host Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.
Photo by: Mike DeZarn
Cardinals, Commodores Meet Tuesday in Battle of the Barrel
May 08, 2017 | Baseball
First pitch set for 6 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium
| GAME DAY INFORMATION #2 Louisville vs. #25 Vanderbilt Location: Louisville, Ky. Venue: Jim Patterson Stadium (4,000) Twitter Updates: @UofLBaseball Game Notes: Louisville | Vanderbilt | Media Center Tuesday, May 9 | 6:05 p.m. ET | Live Stats TV: ACC Network Extra | Radio: 93.9 The Ville LOU: Jr. LHP Rabon Martin (3-0, 4.50 ERA) VU: Jr. RHP Matt Ruppenthal (1-2, 2.97 ERA) |
ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Riding an 11-game winning streak, the Cardinals enter the week at 42-6 overall and 20-4 in the ACC after earning a series sweep at Notre Dame last weekend. Louisville, which set a record for the best start to a season in school history with 19 straight wins, has won each of its 11 weekend series this season, including eight straight against ACC foes. Seven of the Cardinals' 11 series wins this season are sweeps.
Brendan McKay, the two-time John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, leads the Cardinals at the plate and on the mound. McKay is fourth in the nation in on-base percentage at .507, fourth in slugging percentage at .752, 14th in home runs with 15 and 29th in batting with a .389 average to go with a team-leading 46 RBI. The four-time ACC Pitcher of the Week also has a 7-3 record with a 1.92 ERA (25th in NCAA) and 103 strikeouts (eighth in NCAA) in 11 Friday starts on the mound. McKay has a 28-10 career record with a 2.02 ERA and 348 strikeouts (second all-time at UofL) to go with a .339 career batting average in 165 starts as a hitter.
Drew Ellis enters the week ranked eighth in the nation in slugging percentage at .732, 16th in on-base percentage at .490 and 24th in batting average at .393 and to go with 13 home runs and 45 RBI while splitting time between first base and third base. Devin Hairston is batting .327 with a 46 RBI at the plate and has just one error (.995 fielding percentage) while starting all 48 games at shortstop.
Junior Lincoln Henzman leads the Louisville bullpen as the righthander ranks second in the nation with 14 saves to go with a 2-0 record, 1.29 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work. Junior righty Sam Bordner has also been outstanding delivering 30.0 innings of scoreless relief with 23 strikeouts and just six walks.
ABOUT THE VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Vanderbilt has a 29-18 record overall and is 12-11 in the SEC after winning two of three games against Missouri last weekend in Nashville. The Commodores are led offensively by Julian Infante with a .330 batting average, 15 doubles and 52 RBI. Last season, Vanderbilt was 43-19 overall and third in the SEC East with an 18-12 record. The Commodores went 0-2 in the NCAA Nashville Regional.
SERIES HISTORY
Louisville trails 24-8 in the all-time series against Vanderbilt, which dates back to 1971. The Cardinals have won four of the last six in the series, including a 9-5 victory last season in Nashville to reclaim control of the Barrel. The Commodores own a 3-2 lead in the Battle of the Barrel series, which began in 2012.
ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION RACE
With two weekends remaining in the regular season, the back-to-back ACC Atlantic champion Cardinals are atop the division with a 20-4 mark, while Clemson is second at 16-8. Wake Forest is third at 15-9 and is followed by Florida State (11-12), NC State (11-13), Notre Dame (10-17) and Boston College (8-19). North Carolina leads the ACC Coastal with a 19-5 record, five games ahead of second-place Virginia (14-10).
TEAM NOTES AND TRENDS
• Louisville is No. 6 in this week's NCAA RPI and among five ACC schools in the top 11 spots.
• The Cardinals are No. 1 in the nation in shutouts, second in ERA, second in WHIP, third in hits allowed per 9 IP, 12th in strikeouts per 9 IP, 13th in fielding percentage, 13th in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 16th in scoring, 17th in hit-by-pitch, 19th in on-base percentage and 22nd in stolen bases.
• Louisville has won 25 of its 28 ACC series since joining the league and is 27-1 in its series finales during that span, including an 11-1 record in rubber games.
• The Cardinals have won all 14 ACC series at home since debuting in the conference in 2015.
• Louisville has won 33 straight regular season weekend series at home dating back to 2013.
• The Cardinals have a 39-0 record this season when leading after eight innings.
• A season after setting a school record for highest fielding percentage (.978), Louisville has maintained a similar pace in 2017 with 36 errors in 48 games for a .980 fielding percentage.
• The Cardinals have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 27 of 48 games this season after accomplishing the feat in 36 of 64 games last season. They allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 65 games in 2015, 40 of 67 games in 2014 and 36 of 65 games in 2013.
• Louisville is No. 1 in the ACC in ERA and third in the league in team batting average.
• In 24 ACC games, the Cardinals pitching staff has a 2.60 ERA with 214 strikeouts in 215.0 innings of work.
• The UofL bullpen has a 2.14 ERA and 20-0 record with 190 strikeouts in 198.0 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .195 overall against the Cardinals relief staff.
• Louisville is 74-of-93 on stolen base attempts this season (22nd in NCAA) after finishing 101-of-126 in 2016 (12th nationally). The Cardinals were fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases in 2015, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.
• While at Louisville, coach Dan McDonnell has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series berths, six NCAA Super Regional appearances, nine NCAA Regional bids, seven regular season conference championships, two conference tournament titles and 29 All-Americans.
PLAYER NOTES AND TRENDS
• Brendan McKay: Named midseason national Player of the Year by both Baseball America and Perfect Game... Two-way standout is fourth in NCAA in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging, 14th in home runs and 29th in batting average while also ranking eighth in strikeouts and 25th in ERA as a pitcher... No. 1 in ACC in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and WHIP, second in ERA and fourth in average... Has eight or more strikeouts 26 times in collegiate career, including career-high 15 strikeouts in March 10 win over Pitt... In 23 pitching starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 19-3 with a 1.85 ERA (32 earned runs in 155.0 IP) and 199 strikeouts... In 28 career appearances on the mound at home (including 23 starts), McKay is 20-3 with four saves, a 1.77 ERA (32 earned runs in 162.0 IP) and 206 strikeouts.
• Kade McClure: Ranks seventh in ACC in strikeouts... Has 19-2 career record... Had season-high 10 strikeouts on April 8... Won 12 of 13 starts last season and was tied for fifth in NCAA in wins... Was also in the top 10 in the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per 9 IP while earning All-America honors last season.
• Nick Bennett: Has 4-0 record in 10 career collegiate starts... Ranks fifth in the ACC in ERA and eighth in WHIP... Twirled career-best seven scoreless innings in April 23 win over Duke... Allowed one hit and registered seven strikeouts while facing the minimum of 18 batters for first career victory in first ever start against Eastern Michigan on March 3.
• Lincoln Henzman: Ranks second in NCAA and No. 1 in ACC with 14 saves... Opened 2017 with 13.1 consecutive innings of scoreless relief... Has 32 strikeouts with just seven walks in 28.0 innings pitched... 17 career saves ranks tied for fifth all-time at Louisville.
• Drew Ellis: Named National Player of the Month for April by NCBWA... Ranks eighth in NCAA in slugging, 16th in on-base and 24th in batting average... No. 3 in ACC in average, second in slugging, No. 3 in on-base, sixth in home runs and sixth in doubles... Had 32 starts last season... .369 career batting average.
• Devin Hairston: Ranks eighth in ACC in RBI... Tied for team lead with 46 RBI to go with 11 multi-RBI games... Has just one error in 189 chances (.995%) while starting all 48 games at shortstop... Career-best five RBI in three-hit game vs. Fort Wayne on March 8... Started all 64 games in 2016 earning All-America and All-ACC honors.
• Logan Taylor: Second in ACC in stolen bases... Has reached base safely in 38 of 41 starts this season... Played in 221 career games with 122 starts... One of three team captains in 2017.
• Colby Fitch: Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... Has 14 multi-hit games this season... Has started 35 of 48 games at catcher while starting another 12 games at designated hitter... Hit four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts last season.
• Josh Stowers: Ranks fourth in ACC in stolen bases... Had career highs with two home runs, four RBI in April 28 win over Toledo... Delivered career-best three hits against No. 17 Wake Forest on April 8... Had two-hit outing and one RBI in first start on Feb. 18 against No. 22 Maryland.
• Colin Lyman: Had career highs with four hits and five RBI in April 30 win over Toledo... Hit first career home run and had career-best three hits on March 1 against Morehead State... Had 47 starts and 60 games played last season... 205 career appearances.
• Devin Mann: Hitting .356 with three home runs and 15 RBI in last 18 games... Matched career-high with three hits versus Miami (Ohio) on May 2... Reached base safely in 40 of 47 starts this season... Hit .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs in 19 starts last season.
LOUISVILLE IN NATIONAL POLLS EVERY WEEK SINCE BEGINNING OF 2012
Louisville, which surpassed its previous high national ranking of No. 2 (in 2016) with the No. 1 ranking on March 13 and March 20, has enjoyed a historic run by remaining ranked in at least one major national poll every week since the release of the 2012 preseason rankings -- the longest such span in school history. Ranked in the top 12 in all six major preseason polls for 2017, the Cardinals have received a preseason top 10 ranking in five straight seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and have earned a preseason national ranking in 10 straight seasons (2008-2017) overall. Louisville has held down the No. 2 ranking in each of the last seven weeks.
MCKAY EQUALS SCHOOL RECORD WITH FOUR HOME RUNS AT EKU
Brendan McKay matched a school record with four home runs and finished with a career-best nine RBI in Louisville's 14-4 win at Eastern Kentucky on April 25. The four home runs equaled the total achieved by Jim LaFountain against Western Kentucky on April 24, 1976. The performance by McKay marked the most home runs by an NCAA Division I player this season, while the nine RBI equaled the third highest total in the nation. McKay's 4-for-5 day at the plate included a two-run homer in the first inning, a two-run bomb in the second, a three-run homer in the fourth and another two-run shot in the ninth. The nine RBI for McKay were the most for a Louisville player since Chris Dominguez had nine RBI in a win over Milwaukee on May 6, 2009.
MCKAY NAMED ACC PITCHER OF THE WEEK FOUR TIMES IN 2017
Brendan McKay earned his fourth ACC Pitcher of the Week honor on May 8 after previously receiving the award on March 13, March 20 and April 17. With his May 8 accolade, McKay set the all-time ACC career record for weekly recognition with his seventh honor.
The ACC weekly honors are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The seven career weekly awards for McKay (six Pitcher of the Week honors and one Player of the Week award) surpassed the previous record of six held by Clemson's Kris Benson, Florida State's J.D. Drew, and Paul Wilson, and NC State's Terry Harvey. Wake Forest's Gavin Sheets earned this week's ACC Player of the Week honor.
The most recent honor for McKay came after he threw eight scoreless innings allowing only an infield single with eight strikeouts to lead the Cardinals to a 2-0 series-opening victory at Notre Dame on May 5. The lefthander from Darlington, Pennsylvania, improved to 7-3 on the season and 28-10 in his collegiate career while leading Louisville to its ninth shutout of the season.
McKay's third Pitcher of the Week selection came after he allowed just one hit in eight dominant innings on the mound to lead Louisville to a 3-0 victory over Georgia Tech in the series-opening win at Russ Chandler Stadium on April 13. McKay finished with eight strikeouts while surrendering only a fourth inning single to go with two walks.
The second Pitcher of the Week honor was awarded after McKay finished with 12 strikeouts and scattered five singles with one walk in seven shutout innings to move to 4-0 on the season in a win over Boston College on March 17. The first of the three honors came after McKay had a career-high 15 strikeouts while allowing only two hits in seven shutout innings against Pitt on March 10. The 15 strikeouts were two better than McKay's previous high of 13.
ELLIS NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL
Drew Ellis was named on May 8 as the National Player of the Month for April by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. It is the first such honor for Ellis and the second this season for the Cardinals as Brendan McKay earned the award for February. Ellis, a native of Jeffersonville, Ind., had a prolific April at the plate for the high-octane Cardinals. The junior hit .455 (30-for-66) in 19 games with five doubles, one triple and eight homers, driving in 22 runs and sporting a .532 on-base percentage.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS CLAIMED BY MCKAY, ELLIS ON MAY 1
Brendan McKay was named ACC Co-Player of the Week on May 1. Additionally, both McKay and Drew Ellis were named as National Players of the Week by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. McKay and Ellis were among the nine players selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper as national standouts for the week. Louisville was the only school with multiple players on the list.
McKay hit .429 with six home runs, 12 RBIs and a 1.286 slugging percentage as the Cardinals went 5-0 overall during the week. On April 25, he matched a school record with four home runs to go with a career-best nine RBIs in the 14-4 win at Eastern Kentucky. The four home runs is tied for the third most in a game in NCAA history. While hitting safely in all five games for the Cardinals, the first baseman from Darlington, Pennsylvania, capped the week with another multi-home run performance, connecting for two homers and three RBIs in Sunday's 17-2 win against Toledo. On the mound, the lefthander finished with 12 strikeouts in eight innings to earn the victory in Friday's series-opening win against Toledo.
Ellis was outstanding during the week of April 25-30 hitting .611 (11-for-18) with four home runs, two doubles, one triple, seven RBI, .636 on-base percentage and 1.500 slugging percentage for Louisville. The infielder finished with at least two hits in each of the five games, including connecting for a pair of home runs in the 6-4 win over Northern Kentucky on April 26. The Jeffersonville, Indiana native had an extra-base hit in four of the five games and drove in at least one run in four of the games.
MCKAY ON GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
Brendan McKay was named Wednesday to the midseason watch list for the 2017 Golden Spikes Award. The 40-player list was announced by USA Baseball and is the second step in identifying the top amateur baseball player in the nation for the 2017 season. The announcement marked the third consecutive year McKay has been included on the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award. The Darlington, Pennsylvania native was selected as a semifinalist for the award in each of his first two collegiate seasons. The 40th Golden Spikes Award will be presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation on June 29 in Los Angeles.
HENZMAN NAMED TO STOPPER OF THE YEAR MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
Junior righthander Lincoln Henzman was named on April 26 to the midseason watch list for the 2017 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. Among 40 of the nation's top relief pitchers on the watch list, Henzman ranks second nationally with his 14 saves while also accumulating a 2-0 record with a 1.38 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 28.0 innings pitched and 20 total appearances. Previous winners of the award include former Cardinals standout and 2014 recipient Nick Burdi.
NCBWA NAMES MCKAY NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY
Brendan McKay was named National Player of the Month for February by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. McKay had a prolific month, both at the plate and on the mound. In seven games, McKay hit .619 (13-for-21) with a double, three homers and 11 RBI. He had six walks, was hit by two pitches and struck out just once. In two Friday starts, McKay posted wins and a 0.82 ERA in 11 innings. He allowed only six hits and four walks, striking out 14.
FEELING AT HOME INSIDE JIM PATTERSON STADIUM
Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won more than 77 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 340-95 record (.781 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-3 mark during the 2016 season at the corner of Third and Central. Louisville has won 60 of its last 63 regular season games at Jim Patterson Stadium.
SPARGER, SUMMERS AND TAYLOR NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior righthanded pitcher Jake Sparger and senior outfielders Ryan Summers and Logan Taylor were selected by Louisville players and coaches as team captains for the Cardinals baseball team in 2017. Sparger had 50 career appearances on the mound in his first three seasons with the Cardinals, including five starts, and accumulated a 3-2 record with a 3.42 ERA. Summers had 37 collegiate starts while appearing in 108 games during his first three years at Louisville. Taylor played in 177 games and made 81 total starts during his first three seasons as a Cardinal.
SIX CONSECUTIVE 40-WIN SEASONS FOR THE CARDINALS
Louisville has reached the 40-win plateau for the sixth straight season and the 10th time in 11 seasons. Prior to head coach Dan McDonnell's arrival in Louisville, the Cardinals had never reached 40 wins in a season while the single season school record for victories was 39 in 2002. Louisville's current school record for single season wins is 51 in 2013.
SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM CONTINUES FOR LOUISVILLE
As the Louisville baseball team was making significant progress on the field during its 2016 fall workouts, the Cardinals also maintained their impressive work in the classroom registering a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better for the 11th consecutive semester. The notable stretch of academic success has covered five-and-a-half years overall since starting with fall semester in 2011. The span of 11 straight semesters with a team GPA of 3.0 or better includes the 2013 and 2014 seasons, which culminated with back-to-back appearances at the College World Series. In each of those trips to Omaha, the Cardinals received the CWS Academic Award for having the highest team GPA of the eight programs advancing to the pinnacle of collegiate baseball.
29 CARDINALS ASSIGNED TO MLB, MiLB TEAMS FOR 2017
During Dan McDonnell's tenure as head coach, University of Louisville baseball alumni have consistently made the successful transition from college to professional baseball. A total of 29 former Cardinals were assigned to MLB and MiLB teams to begin the 2017 season. A complete list of #ProCards is available online at gocards.com/probaseballcards.
Since McDonnell's hiring prior to the 2007 season, 50 Louisville players have signed professional contracts after being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including a school record nine Cardinals in 2010. The 2016 MLB Draft featured a record-setting three first round selections from Louisville and seven total draftees in the first 115 picks overall. Seven former Cardinals appeared in MLB games during the 2016 season, led by Cincinnati Reds outfielder and All-Star Adam Duvall.
FOLLOWING THE CARDINALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
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